2.

Geometric Design

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2.5 Tunnel Alignment.
Type of the road – Urban Arterial Road

2.5.1 Horizontal Alignment

Design Speed (V) = 60 km/h

Sight Distance

From AASHTO Green Book

Minimum Design SSD = 85m on level terrain.

Reference – Chapter 3, AASHTO Green Book

Terrain

Level terrain has chosen based on the gradients of the tunnel.

Maximum Gradient = 3.85% (At the Baseline exit)

According to AASHTO green book, allowable maximum gradient = 7%

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 Reference – Chapter 7, Urban Arterials, AASHTO Green Book

Ⅰ.Minimum Curve Radius (Rmin)

𝑣2
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 = We calculated the minimum radius that should be present on our design
127(𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 +𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥 )

road and relevant to our designed speed from the below equation.
Reference – Chapter 3, AASHTO Green Book

Where,
V = design speed = 60km/h
emax= maximum super elevation= 6%
fmax= maximum side friction = 0.16(Considering the design speed and road surface condition)
602
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 =
127(0.06 + 0.16)
= 128.85m ≈ 129m
And also from AASHTO design charts,
Minimum curve radius (Rmin) corresponding to design speed of
150m
60 km/h, super elevation of (e=4%) and maximum side friction
of 0.15

Ramps
Design speed can be reduced in ramps according to AASHTO design guidelines.
Design Speed = 40 Km/h

Minimum Curve Radius (Rmin)

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 402
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 =
127(0.06 + 0.21)
Rmin = 46.66m ≈ 47m
In our road section we have three horizontal curves at ramp 1, 2, 4 and Car park entry ramp.
Radius present in existing three curves.

Radius of
Chainage curvature
(m)
Ramp 1 0+520.33 54
A
Ramp 2 1+124.93 55.9
Ramp 4 1+606.51 50
Car Park Entry Ramp 1+208.9 58

Sight Distance

Minimum STOPPING Sight Distance = 50m

Reference – Chapter 3, AASHTO Green Book

Ⅱ. Transition curves

When the straight portion of the road cannot be comfortably connected to the circular portion
transition curves are used. In our case we use spiral curves to combine the straights and circular
curves. In the transition region the normal cross fall gradually converted to the super elevation
and vice versa.

Transition region consists of two major sections. They were, A.) Super Elevation Runoff Section.
B.)Tangent Runout Section.
A.) Super Elevation Runoff Section.

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 Super elevation runoff sectionis the length needed to change the outside-lane cross slope from
zero to full super elevation. For undivided highways its cross-section rotated about centerline.

ed= Design super elevation rate = 6%

bw =Adjustment factor for three lanes = 0.67
∆ = Adjustment factor for speed = 0.6(For design speed of 60km/h)
Lr = 3.6*3*6*0.67/ 0.6 = 72.36 m
Design Length of super elevation = 72.36 m

B.) Tangent Runout Section

Tangent runout sectionis the roadway length needed to change the outside-lane cross slope
from normal cross slope rate to zero.

Tangent run out length is given by the equation,

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 Where,
Lr = Minimum length of super elevation run off = 72.36 m
eNC = Normal cross slope=2.0%
ed = Design super elevation =6%
Lt= 2.0*72.36/6 = 24.12 m
Minimum length of tangent runout section= 24.12m

So, the minimum Super elevation development length=Ld= 72.36+ 24.12= 96.48m.

Design speed
Super Super Elevation Development (60 km/h) elevation must
be attained over
Length of Super elevation Runoff (Lr) 72.36m
a length that
Minimum Length of Tangent Runout (Lt) 24.12m
includes the
Distance of removing crown from PC 63.68m
tangent (Minimum length of tangent)(0.66Ld) and the
Super elevation development length on 32.8m
curvature(0.33Ld)
curve.Typically, 66% prior to tangent point of the curve and 33% is provided within the curve
if no spiral.

2.5.2 Vertical Alignment

Ⅰ. Vertical Curves

Ⅱ. Checking of the vertical curves with respective to the design criteria.

A. Crest Curve

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 Design speed for curve D is 40km/h
For 40 km/h SSD = 50 m (AASHTO design table)

Length of Curve (L)< Sight Distance (S)

L= AS2/648

Length of Curve (L) >Sight Distance (S)

L = 2S-(648) /A

No crest curves. Only Sag curves.

Curve Position situated G1 G2 L from

cad
1 Ramp 1 0 3.66% 281.27m
2 Ramp 2 0 4.27% 241.17m
3 Ramp 3 0 3.85% 267.79m
4 Ramp 4 0 2.7% 239.71m
5 Car Park Entry Ramp 0 0.89% 146.51m

B. Sag Curve
Curve 01

Head light illumination

Assume S>L,

L=2S-(120+3.5S)/A

= 2*50-(120+3.5*50)/3.66

=19.4m OK

Driver comfort

L>AV2/389

>3.66*402/389

>15.05m

General Clearance

L>30A

>30*3.66

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 >109.8m

Curve 02

Head light illumination

Assume S>L,

L=2S-(120+3.5S)/A

= 2*50-(120+3.5*50)/4.27

=30.91m OK

Driver comfort

L>AV2/389

>4.27*402/389

>15.05m

General Clearance

L>30A

>30*4.27

>128.1m

Curve 03

Head light illumination

Assume S>L,

L=2S-(120+3.5S)/A

= 2*50-(120+3.5*50)/3.85

=23.38m OK

Driver comfort

L>AV2/389

>3.85*402/389

>15.84m

General Clearance

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 L>30A

>30*3.85

>115.5m

Curve 04

Head light illumination

Assume S>L,

L=2S-(120+3.5S)/A

= 2*50-(120+3.5*50)/2.7

=-9.26m OK

Driver comfort

L>AV2/389

>2.7*402/389

>11.1m

General Clearance

L>30A

>30*2.7

>81m

Curve 01

Head light illumination

Assume S>L,

L=2S-(120+3.5S)/A

= 2*50-(120+3.5*50)/0.89

=-231.46m OK

Driver comfort

L>AV2/389

>0.89*402/389

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 >3.66m

General Clearance

L>30A

>30*0.89

>26.7m

2.6 Sight Distances.

Ⅰ. Lateral clearances

In order to provide sufficient lateral clearance, it’s much important to achieve required sight
distance corresponding to the design speed at curves. At our site visits we observed that at
some horizontal curves sight distance is much low. As it can cause serious safety issues we
have to provide proper lateral clearance.

Following shows the equations which are used to calculate the lateral distance,
Cos δ = (R – m) / (R – n)
S = 2δ (R – n)
m = R (1 –cos𝛿 )
Where,
R=Radius of the road

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 n=Half of the width of the lane
S= Sight distance measured along the curve
δ=Half the angle subtended by the line of sight.

Stopping sight distance for proposed three curves.

Let us consider the critical situation.
For the curve of 50 m,
R = curve radius = 50 m

n = Lane width /2 = 1.8 m (3.6/2m)

S =Minimum sight distance

 Any given point of the road in flat terrain maintain minimum sight distance of 50m.δ
=50/2*(50-1.8) = 0.51867 rad
 Minimum lateral clearance needed to maintain SSD at curve
m = {50-[(50-3.6)* Cos 0.51867]} = 9.7 m
Available clearance in each section=Lane width+ Shoulder width
=3.6+1.8+0.6 = 6m

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